Author's Note: It's been a while since I've actually said anything to you guys. First off, I'd like to thank the twenty-odd of you that have stuck with this story thus far - I appreciate it more than you know. It means a lot to know that someone is reading the stuff that I've spent hours of my life on, when I probably should have been studying for my AP class. ^^;

At any rate, you've made it to chapter 12! There is a lot more to come, and, in fact, this story is only about halfway done. I hope you all will continue to read along and enjoy! If you have any suggestions, anything at all, I would love to hear them!

That, and reviews are pretty.

Thank you!

"Soren, we need to talk."

Lucia sighed and closed her eyes, trying not to picture his face, how he would receive this.

"I am so sorry. What else can I say? I could beg for your forgiveness… is that what you want? Will that make things better?" She dropped to her knees and clasped her hands. She chanced a look, but shuddered at what she saw and quickly closed her eyes again. She had to try, didn't she? Maybe it would work.

"Please, Soren. I can't bear this tension anymore. I know that this is my fault, but…" her words trailed away for a moment, but then began to tumble from her lips all the faster, "And, and I don't care about your bloodline! You're still you, Soren, who cares what that little mark on your forehead means? I just… asking you to be a friend to me, to be… anything more than that is more than I deserve. But please, can we be on speaking terms again? I—" she realized that she had not taken a breath for a while, and paused. "I don't—oh, what am I doing?" she let out an exasperated breath and ran both hands through her hair to rest upon her head. She stared at her reflection in the full length mirror before her, then turned away. She was a mess. How could she ever hope for this all to be forgotten?

She glanced once around her, the Queen's room. She had come here, as advised by Ike, to explain the finer details of the plan to the Queen while Soren explained them to the Commander. It was a waste of time, but also the only way that they could work together.

The lady tactician rose to her feet with a sigh, and turned to face the door. The gaze that met her was the one she least expected.

"Lucia, what are you doing?"

His gaze was almost accusatory, and the question was asked as if it had been voiced out of duty, not inquisitiveness. Her mouth opened and closed once, seeking words that would not come.

"I was… was just…" an idea struck her. "I was only practicing. For when I will be posing as Elincia," she lied.

The mage's eyebrows went up. "Must I remind you that you will not be saying anything? Much less be down on your knees…"

"How much did you hear?"

He was taken aback by the question, which seemed to rush out of her mouth before she could think. "I heard… nothing. Why?"

"Just was… going to ask you if my acting was convincing."

"I'm sure it was fine. As you've reassured Elincia and Ike countless times, you've played Elincia's role before."

"Yes, when we were younger. Elincia was a wonderful child to be sure, always polite and willing to do whatever asked of her… but there, of course, were days when she wondered about the outside world, beyond the royal villa. And so, several times I volunteered to take her place for a few hours while she explored. Of course, things never really went quite as we planned – I could look the part well enough, but I could never quite get her voice right… and then, of course, there was the matter of eye color and height difference. Renning always seemed to notice the swap first, and pretty soon at that. Elincia would always be found still in her room; I suppose she never felt the thrill of rule-breaking, so she never really did leave. It was fun, though, pretending, back then. Seems so childish now. And so long ago… but of course, I suppose my experience will be helpful now."

"Mm."

She frowned at his noncommittal reply. "Don't you think so, Soren?"

"…there is, of course, the height difference, the eye color, and your voice sounds nothing like—"

"Are you worried?"

"About you? Hardly."

"What, then? Just feel like spouting negativity?"

"I am merely being realistic. If I can't see everything that could possibly give you away and find some way to compensate for it, then this plan could fail."

"And I would die."

"Not so much that," the mage said, his gaze hardening slightly.

"Do you really care so little about me?" she asked, slightly offended.

"Not so much that, either. It's just… no matter how willing you think you are to risk your life to stop that assassin, I don't think you will."

"Are you accusing me of cowardice? Soren, you should know me well enough by now to know that—"

"Ike will be beside you. And no matter how many times you tell him that you'll take the risk, no matter how many times you remind him that all he must do is stand there for the sake of the ploy, he… it would not be in his nature to not try and protect you. As you should recall, Ike is not a man who would knowingly let his friends walk down a path that would lead them to suffering. He'd stop them."

Lucia's anger melted slightly. Of course, it would be the commander that Soren was worried for. Such only made sense. She opened her mouth to reply, but he had closed his eyes and did not see this. So he continued.

"Ike is different from the rest of the world. He is compassionate and caring, willing to bend his ear to any who need someone to listen, be they Beorc, Laguz, or B… … Branded. He is selfless and protective, and will not hesitate to stand up for the people he cares about. He is ruthless to those who want to harm that which he loves. When he does wrong, he seeks first and foremost to make things right, the instant he sees that he has hurt someone. He is good, and just, and… and whole. So unlike me, and, in some ways… so very similar to you."

He was finished now, but she did not know what to say. She could not be completely sure of who he was praising, for she knew that she, of all people, did not deserve… the thought struck her suddenly that he must have lied. He must have heard her. He may have even watched her act out her apology. And as he spoke, Lucia caught a glimpse of the man whom had charmed her on the night of the Coronation ball, the man who had seemed so seamless and sure of himself, yet there was something beneath. Those words he had spoken then were only the tip of a much deeper iceberg, only the beginning of what she hoped to learn and learn about the mage. When he spoke, she could be certain that his every word was sincere, wholly thought out, and said with purpose.

There was some difference now, as he refused to look at her, and upon her closer inspection, trembled slightly. And for some reason, Lucia felt as if she had been slapped. Soren. She had seen him on that night as drawing and mysterious, like a shadow whose presence was fleeting. She wished to know where those words he had spoken came from, what he had meant by them, what else he had to say. But it seemed, that in the recent events, the things that drew her to him had changed. There was something in his eyes that was different from the crimson gems that had captivated her then - they no longer allowed her a glimpse into the soul she had once seen, but had become guarded and shallow. Why had she not noticed before? This was her fault, for she was the one that had caused his shift in demeanor. No longer did he seek to speak with her, the very fact that she was in his presence was a miracle. Why had she turned from him and blindly sought another, to drum up jealousy when he was already hers?

She did not know what to say.

"…speaking terms, Lucia?" he offered, and his voice startled her out of her reverie.

She nodded once, and slowly. "I would like that, Soren. Very much."

He cleared his throat and looked aside, then took one step backwards, out of the room, and disappeared down the hall.